Strawberry Twists
For The Filling
10 ounces frozen and sliced strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
For The Dough
1 cup milk, I used skim, but 1%, 2% or whole milk works as well
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeas
(about 2 1/4 teaspoons
1/4 cup graulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt1 large egg
For the Glaze
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
1. Start by preparing the filling. In a medium saucepan, mix together strawberries and sugar. Heat over medium heat while stirring frequently. Once strawberries start to soften and become juicy, place cornstarch into a small bowl and add a small amount of water and stir (until a smooth paste forms). Add to the strawberry mixture, stir, and continue to simmer over medium-low heat until soft and cooked down, about 5-10 minutes. You can either leave the filling chunky or using a potato masher, gently press strawberry filling until mostly smooth. Set aside.2. To prepare the dough, place milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until butter is almost melted and milk is warm. Stir until butter is completely melted. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix until well combined with the beater paddle attached. Add the egg and milk mixture to the dry mix and continue stirring until thoroughly combined. Switch to the dough hook and add remaining flour or until dough starts to pull away from the sides, about 1-2 minutes. Continue to knead the dough for 5 minutes. Slightly flour your work surface and place dough on top. Let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper. Set nearby.2. Roll out your dough until it measures 12 x 24 inches (rectangular shape). Spread strawberry filling evenly over the dough and using a pizza cutter, cut dough lengthwise (the long way) into 14 equal strips, about 1 inch wide. Fold each strip in half, twist and transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets where you form each twisted strip into a spiral, securing the end underneath. I placed 7 spirals onto each baking sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towels and let twists rise at room temperature until almost double in size, about 1 hour.3. When twists have finished rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place one sheet at a time into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. While the twists are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking the confectioners' sugar and milk together until smooth. Glaze should be slightly thick but easy to drizzle. For a thicker glaze, add more sugar and for a thinner glaze, add more milk. Drizzle with desired amount of glaze and serve while still warm.
Notes
Strawberry Twists are best when enjoyed on the same day, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.Dough recipe adapted from my Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls.